Every year, tens of millions of people around the world sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The majority of TBIs are mild brain injuries, such as concussions. However, concussions and other traumatic brain injuries often result in some degree of visual dysfunction, as nearly half of the brain is dedicated to vision-related processing.
The symptoms of post-TBI visual disturbances fall under the umbrella term post-traumatic vision syndrome (PTVS).
What is Post Traumatic Vision Syndrome?
Post Trauma Vision Syndrome is a disruption of the visual process. This disruption affects the neurological system that innervates the extraocular muscles that control eye movements, as well as the system that regulates focusing. This causes eye problems like difficulty with fixation, binocular fusion, and accommodative function.
What Are the Symptoms of PTVS?
Even with 20/20 vision, a TBI can cause the following visual dysfunctions:
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Low blink rate
- Depth-perception issues
- Difficulty with eye-tracking
- Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
- Eye strain, especially while reading or using a computer
Non-visual symptoms may include:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Poor balance
- Disorientation
- Difficulty reading
- Difficulty driving
- Difficulty concentrating
- Visual memory problems
- Difficulty navigating through crowded or tight spaces
How Does a Neuro-Optometrist Treat PTVS?
Your neuro-optometrist will assess your ocular health as well as a wide range of visual abilities, including eye alignment and convergence function, focusing ability, peripheral awareness and more.
If deficits are discovered, your neuro-optometrist will create a neuro-optometric rehabilitation program to improve any visual skills that have been harmed by the brain injury. The program may utilize specialized glasses or prisms to improve spatial and/or binocular vision.
It’s crucial to get treatment for PTVS as soon as possible to minimize deficits and regain quality of life. However, neuro-optometric rehabilitation can be effective even months or years after a TBI.
Schedule a consultation with Grand Developmental Vision Institute to start treatment for your PTVS today.
Grand Developmental Vision Institute serves patients from Winnipeg, Selkirk, Portage La Prairie, and Brandon, Manitoba and surrounding communities.
Q: What is neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapy?
- A: Neuro-optometric rehabilitation is a personalized program to develop, improve and refine underdeveloped or lost visual skills. This specialized treatment involves eye exercises, techniques and visual aids (i.e. prisms) that improve your visual processing and perception through the strengthening of the eye-brain connection.
Q: Is my concussion impairing my reading?
- A: Many patients suffering from PTVS experience reading difficulties after their injury. Words might appear to be moving on the page or blurry. Another possible problem is not being able to remember what you just read, even after rereading it several times.